Thoughts for the Week

If you’re a writer, do you ever get attached to your characters? I do. Over time, whether you mean to or not, you begin to care about your characters as if they were real people.

I was writing a story this week for a project, where the main character struggles to overcome a bleak and difficult situation. Seeing her frustration and discouragement, I felt compelled to support and comfort her.

I wanted to say “Honey, don’t feel sad. I have an amazing life planned for you! You’re going to live in a happy home, find a loving husband, and have beautiful children. Yes, there will be some ups and downs, but don’t give up, it’s going to be incredible!”

Wanting to reach out to my character, I was suddenly struck with a though: Is this how it is between God and us sometimes? He’s the author of our lives, he brings in the supporting characters, the love interests, the antagonists, the plot twists, etc.

But unlike my character who knows nothing about her future, God has told us already that we win in the end:

Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,and God himself will be with them as their God.He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away (Rev 20:3b-4, NIV)

Don’t get discouraged in this small chapter in your life, remember that the author of your life is the all-powerful, loving God, and he’s already shown that our ending is a happy one.